War Games with the Press = by Scott Horton

[L. Coyote]

War Games with the Press
By Scott Horton - http://harpers.org/archive/2009/05/hbc-90005042


Recently, Iranians arrested and tried a young North Dakota-reared journalist named Roxana Saberi. She was accused of espionage and held under harsh conditions. The Obama administration cried foul, and newspapers around the United States raged against the Iranians and their abuse of the denizens of the Fourth Estate. The objections were well taken and had commendable effect, as Saberi’s sentence was reduced, and she was freed and allowed to return to the States. But there’s another country whose treatment of journalists might put even Iran to shame: the United States. The U.S. has detained dozens of journalists in Iraq. Most of these were fleeting, and the journalists were allowed to return home after their identity was confirmed. A number of journalists, however, weren’t so lucky.

Consider Abdul Ameer Younis Hussein, a cameraman for CBS news, and Bilal Hussein, a photographer for the Associated Press. Abdul Ameer was held for a year and accused of being a terrorist before he was able to get to a court and find complete vindication. The Pentagon claimed it had convincing evidence that showed he was present at a series of bombing incidents. The claims, which ran for two days on cable news networks quoting unnamed Pentagon sources, turned out to be a lie, probably concocted to embarrass CBS. Bilal Hussein was held for two years. His offense? He belonged to a team of photographers who won the Pulitzer Prize for their war photography ......

[struggle4progress]

1. The previous administration had a flexible notion of "terrorist" -- it included unionized teachers

and intellectuals who criticized the iraq war; an opponent of the cuba embargo ended up on the no-fly list; and as discussed above, those who inconveniently documented Bush's Big Adventure were also at risk

Published on Monday, February 23, 2004 by the Associated Press
Bush's Education Secretary Calls Teachers Union 'Terrorist Organization'
by Robert Tanner
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0223-08.htm

Case delayed for South African denied US visa
By RUSSELL CONTRERAS
Associated Press
2009-05-28 03:57 AM

Flight Carrying Journalist on US No-Fly List Diverted
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=405&topic_id=14497

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3895756

[L. Coyote]

3. Are the Sandinista terrorists on the Texas border yet? REAGAN LIES.

Deja DU: Are the Sandinista terrorists on the Texas border yet? Rhetoric to haunt Freeepers.
Mar-26-07 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x503712

Reagan was a bit senile, but they marched with him in lock-step anyway, and besides, someone else wrote his lines!!

From the thread:

Given the current lies leading to war, an examination of past lies is in order. ...

One of my favorite whoppers is that the tiny nation of Nicaragua was an invasion threat to Texas. Reagan and George Bush deprived the nation and the world of sleep with rhetorical worries that the terrorist cabal controlling the government of Nicaraggua had to be militarily overthrown to prevent the invasion of Texas. REagan said Nicaragua, "is establishing a base camp for Cuban-Soviet aggression on the North American mainland."

Here is a speech quote of Ronald Reagan, the beloved former liar-in-chief:

"Believe me, the liberals in Washington know what's at stake in this election. They know that this may well be their last chance to steer American politics way over to the left. They know that if we Republicans do well this November it's going to permanently alter the political landscape. ...."

"You see, on holding down taxes and spending, on appointing tough judges, on keeping up our defenses and dealing firmly with the Soviets, the liberal Democrat leadership knows the fundamental differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are beginning to sink in with the average voter. Take another issue that's come to the fore recently, an issue where partisan politics shouldn't even play a role. All of you know that a Communist government has taken over in Nicaragua. In addition to engaging in widespread repression of human rights, this government is establishing a base camp for Cuban-Soviet aggression on the North American mainland. But today there are about 20,000 freedom fighters who need our help in restoring democracy to that country. And a few weeks ago we won a crucial vote in the House of Representatives that will help them to do just that.is establishing a base camp for Cuban-Soviet aggression on the North American mainland.

"...I think you know I've mentioned in the past that Nicaragua is only a 2-day drive from the Texas border. .....

.....

Extra! October/November 1987

Managua—Terror Central?
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2480


"Reagan Reports New Latin Danger" was the headline of a front page New York Times article (1/25/85) in which the President defended his contra policy as "an act of self defense," citing a Sandinista terrorist link. Juan Tamayo of the Miami Herald (3/3/85) further developed the theme of Nicaragua as a terrorist haven, while a USA Today (7/9/85) photo spread, with head shots of Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega, Castro, Qadaffi and the Ayatollah Khomeini, graphically promoted Reagan's warning about "terrorist states" threatening the U.S.

.........

[struggle4progress]

4. Yeah, Ronnie was bad news. I had forgotten that particular steaming heap

[L. Coyote]

5. Yeah, terrorist = "political opposition" has history

What has changed is how badly we stirred the hornets nest!
It was Reagan's 'campaign manager/CIA director' who financed the Afghan rebels and gave us Osama!

[Echo In Light]

2. Recommended